HANDBOOK OF THE METEORITE COLLECTIONS. 37 



Subsequent investigations have shown this iron to contain traces of 

 palladium and ruthenium. 



References. — H. A. Ward, Amer, Journ. Sci., vol, 5, 1898, p. 136. 

 Geo. P. Merrill, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 43, 1912, p. 596. 



BARBOTAN, LANDES, FRANCE. No. 305. 



Stone, Cga. Weight, 273 grams. Irregular fragment without 

 crust. Dark gray, rust spotted. Fell July 24, 1790. The fall was 

 observed over an area of many miles, the meteor appearing as a blind- 

 ing white ball followed by a dark red trail. Its fall was accom- 

 panied by an explosion, the thunder-like report of which continued 

 for three or four minutes, the fragments burying themselves in the 

 earth to a depth of from three to five feet. Wiilfing gives the known 

 weight as 5,911 grams, of which 858 grams are in the British Mu- 

 seum and 618 in the Vienna Museum. 



Composition : Satisfactory chemical analyses seem never to have 

 been made. A microscopic study by Tschermak showed it to have an 

 indistinct chondritic structure and to consist of bronzite and olivine 

 with nickel-iron and troilite. The stone is of more than usual in- 

 terest, being one of the early well-authenticated falls. 



Reference.— R. Pfahler, Min. pet. Mitth., vol. 13, 1898, p. 353. 



BARRATTA STATION. 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF DENILIQUIN, NEW SOUTH WALES, 



No. 289. 



Stone,Cgb. Weight, 451 grams ; triangular fragment, with polished 

 surface and original crust. Date, of fall unknown. Three stones 

 found, the first, weighing about 71 kilograms, in 1852, and the two 

 others, weighing 21.77 kilograms and 14.3 kilograms, in 1889. Com- 

 pact, dark gray, chondritic stones, the chondrules so large (1-5 mm.) 

 and abundant as to give it, even to the unaided e3''e, a conglomerated 

 appearance. Under the microscope a mass of more or less fragmental 

 and distorted chondrules of olivine and enstatite, with interstitial iron 

 and troilite. An analj^sis by Liversidge yielded : 



Per cent. 



Silica (SiOs) 40.280 



Alumina (AI2O3) 1.843 



Ferric oxide (FejOa) 3.930 



Lime (GaO) _- 1.400 



Magnesia (MgO) 23.733 



Manganous oxide (MnO) .734 



Potash (K2O) 1.024 



Soda (NasO) .997 



Sulphur (S) 2.288 



Iron (Fe) ^ 14.966 



Nickel (Ni) ^ 4.219 



